Material handling device



Aug. 18, 1942. I A, E. FRANZ 2,293,287

2 MATERIAL HANDLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 1, 1940 3 Sheets-Shee l QINVENTOR. L fix BHPT/f. Ffifl/vz.

ATTORNEYJ'.

Aug. 18, 1942. NZ 2,293,287

- MATERIAL HANDLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 1, 1940 3 Sheets-Shes; 2

Aug. 18, 1942. A, E, FRANZ 2,293,287

MATERIAL HANDLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 1, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYJ'Patented Aug. 18, 1942 Albert E. Franz,

Detroit, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, poration ofDelaware Detroit, Mich, a cor-' Application August 1, 1940, Serial No.349,261

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a material handling device and moreparticularly to a device for automatically removing a metal stampingfrom a press after the stamping operation.

It is the object of this invention to promote the safety of the operatorof the metal stamping press. This object is achieved by means of athereby obviating the need for the operator to incur the danger incidentto the manual removing of a stamping from the press.

The invention contemplates a device of a simple nature which willefficiently remove the stamping from the press and simultaneously turnthe same to facilitate further handling of the stamping.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the press showing the reciprocating die memberraised.

Fig. 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view similar to Fig. 1 with a fullline showing of the press .closed and with a dotted line showingof thereciprocating die on the way up.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the .press showing themodified form of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings there is shown a presshaving a stationary die I and a reciprocating die 2. The die 2 isarranged for reciprocation upwardly and downwardly in a well known andconventional manner.

The lower die I is a composite die, the inner portion 3 of which ismounted upon and cushioned by coil springs 4. A pair of arms 5 and 6 arepivotally supported by pins 1 and 8 upon support members I 3 fixed uponthe lower die I. The lower die is provided with recesses 9 into whichthe arms 5 and 6 swing or retreat when lowered. When the pivoted arms 5and 6 are lowered they lie fiush with the upper surface In of the die I.

The arms 5 and 6 are arranged to be raised automatically after thestamping operation .as the reciprocating die 2 moves upwardly. Operand 6can be effected by any @ation of arms 5 movable member of the press. Byway of .description the stationary die is provided with a pair of leversII and I2 pivotally supported upon the die I as at I4. The levers II andI2 project beyond the sides of the die as at I5. A pair of fingers I6and I! are pivotally mounted as at I8 and I9 upon th reciprocating die2. The fingers I6 and I! are normally retained against their respectivestops 20 by the compression springs 2| which act against the heads ofbolts 22. Bolts 22 are fixed to arms I6 and I1 and project throughsuitable openings 23 in the stops The levers I6 and I I are providedwith hooked ends 24. The press is provided with a chute 25 into. whichthe stamping 26 is discharged.

In operation of the press the sheet metal member 26 which is to bestamped is positioned upon the lower die I, 3, over the arms 5 and 6. Asthe upper die 2 moves downwardly to stamp the metal 26 in cooperationwith the lower die, fingers I6 and I! pass by levers II and I2. Afterthe drawing operation is completed and the reciprocating die 2 startsupwardly, the hooked ends 24 of fingers I6 and I! engage levers I I andI2, thereby swinging the same upwardly. As levers II and I2 swingupwardly they simultaneously swing arms 5 and 6 upwardly from the lowerdie 3, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby ejecting the finished stamping 26into the chute 25. Upon further upward travel of the die 2, fingers I6and I "I disengage or release levers II and I2 which with arms 5 and 6return by gravity to lowered position.

Preferably the stamping 26 is turned in its own plane throughapproximately as it is dis- ;charged from the press. To effect theturning of stamping 26, arm 5 is properly timed so that it is raisedbefore arm 6. This is accomplished by making finger I'I longer thanfinger I6 so that finger I'I picks up lever I2 after finger I6 picks uplever II and raises arm 5. Since arm 5 is arranged to raise before arm6, the left hand end 21 of stamping 26 will be ejected from the pressbefore the right hand end 28, Fig. 3, thereby turning the stamping 26 asabove described.

travel as it is ejected from the press. After being turned through 90,the longitudinal axis of the stamping 26 is parallel to its direction oftravel. Figs. 2 and 3 show the stamping 26 partially turned. In Fig. 3the stamping has been ejected from the press but is still in the processof being turned because the turning force exerted by the action of arms5 and 6 has not been fully expended.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 5, the stationary die is providedwith a pair of spaced arms 30 pivotally mounted as at 3| upon the lowerdie in the same manner as arms 5 and 6. The arms 30 are arranged to beraised and lowered by compressed air. To this end each of the arms 30 isprovided with a conventional and well known compressed air motor in theform of a cylinder 32 pivotally supported as at 33 on the lower die I.The cylinder 32 is provided with a piston 34 and a connecting rod 35pivotally connected as at 36 to one end of the arm 30. Cylinder 32 isprovided with compressed air inlet and exhaust lines 31. When compressedair is admitted into the cylinder 32 to the right of piston 34, arms 30are raised to eject the stamping 26 from the press in a manner identicalwith that of the principal form of the invention described above. Theadmission of compressed air into the cylinders to raise the arms 30 willbe timed differently. Thus to raise one arm 30 before the othertosimultaneously eject the stamping from the press and turn the same,the admission and exhaust of compressed air irom the air cylinders 32may be controlled by manually operated valves, but preferably iscontrolled by a pair of air valves automatically operated by thereciprocating die 2'.

The term die is used broadly herein to include not only the die memberwhich does the forming of the metal, but also the base or support uponwhich the die is mounted.

I claim:

1. In combination with a press for stamping a sheet metal blankcomprising a reciprocating die and a stationary die provided with a pairof recesses, a pair of arms pivotally supported on the stationary dieand arranged to retreat into said recesses and lie beneath the sheetmetal blank during the stamping operation, a pair of fingers pivotallymounted on the reciprocating die arranged to raise the arms in timedrelation one before the other and thereby simultaneously eject the sheetmetal blank from the press and turn the same side for end as thereciprocating die moves away from the stationary die.

2. In combination with a press for stamping a sheet metal blankcomprising a reciprocating die and a stationary die provided with a pairof recesses, a pair of arms pivotally supported on the stationary dieand arranged to retreat into said recesses and lie beneath the sheetmetal blank during the stamping operation, a pair of fingers pivotallymounted on the reciprocating die, a pair of levers pivotally mounted onthe stationary die, one lever beneath each of the said arms, the saidlevers arranged to engage the pivoted fingers in timed, relation onebefore the other as the reciprocating die moves away from the stationarydie whereby the arms are raised one before the other to simultaneouslyeject the sheet metal blank from the press and turn the same side forend.

3. In combination with a press for stamping a sheet metal blankcomprising two dies having relative reciprocation toward and away fromeach other, spaced members mounted in relation to one of said dies sothat the members are beneath the sheet metal blank during the stampingoperation, and means operated in timed relation with the relativereciprocation of said dies to raise the said spaced members in timedrelation one before the other whereby the sheet metal blank is ejectedfrom the press and simultaneously turned edgewise when the dies open.

ALBERT E. FRANZ.

